Osbaldiston, Esq., in his admirable work, which is called the "British Sportsman." On the merits of this gentleman's work (putting aside some of the plates) I cannot forbear making a few remarks, although he is (perhaps I should say was) an utter stranger to me. I bought his book when I was a lad, many years ago, and I cannot say that I have since met with any thing more purely original. Mr. Osbaldiston's "British Sportsman," it is evident, is faithfully drawn from nature, by a thorough-bred sportsman in the field, instead of being imperfectly copied from other works, by a hackney quill-driver in the metropolis. This work, in short, as well as Bewick's, may be considered as one of the fine old standards, from which many a book-pirate has torn the colours that he sails under; or, as the peacock, in whose feathers have strutted half the jackdaws in the book-making world.

Since our 8th edition, there has at last appeared, after a lapse of nearly half a century, another original and admirably well written work, from a thorough bred sportsman, Captain R. Lacy, who, as a novice in wild-fowl gunning, and an utter stranger, applied to me in a letter of seventeen pages, for the "very great favour" of some private instructions in this art which I gave him to the best of my abilities. He afterwards hired "Admiral" Buckle, who " spun out his yarn," while the captain took down his depositions. But here Captain Lacy had not altogether the advantage of his own experience; and as the "Admiral" had picked up nothing new since he was with me in the year 1824, many threads of his yarn do not keep pace with the other parts of this work, which is justly entitled to the name of the "Modern Shooter."

PRESERVATION OF GAME.

HAVING said enough on the destruction, let me now proceed to the preservation of game.

A man, who, as a friend, had been hospitably entertained, or, as a stranger, accommodated with a day's shooting, would scarcely deserve the name of a gentleman, if he afterwards, clandestinely, set his foot on the ground of one, to whom he was thus far indebted; and it is, therefore, extremely illiberal to infer, that a good shot cannot sport like a gentleman; or that, when invited to shoot, he would destroy an unfair quantity of game; so far from it, a first-rate sportsman takes a pride in showing mercy to what is in his power, and piques himself upon strictly conforming to what he thinks would please his host, and being called a "nice gentleman" by an honest gamekeeper. Not only this, but from being cool and steady, he has better nerves to withstand all temptation, than a raw shot, who has scarcely any command of himself on springing a forbidden bird. There are many 'squires, however, so hoggishly tenacious of their game, that, in spite of all reason, they continue their prejudice against a cracked shot so far as studiously to avoid his acquaintance; because there are some greedy destroyers, who take an unfair advantage of their own skill and their host's indulgence; and, on the other hand, correct men, who have been known to kill

an immense bag of game, at his particular request, for the supply of an election dinner, or some other reasonable purpose.

Thus many lords of manors, who would rather lose an ounce of their own blood than a brace of their pheasants, have been striving to preserve every head of game by day, while the poachers, unmolested, were clearing it by wholesale during the night. Sometimes, too, notwithstanding all their caution, their manors are invaded even by day, with old stagers from a garrison, who select market days, when the tenants are absent, and windy weather, when they can manœuvre to leeward and outflank the keepers.

Others again manage to create a diversion in favour of their trespass, by having the keepers drawn to opposite points, with the discharge of double guns and pistols; or, getting some bad shots, on promising them a share of the booty, to throw themselves in the way of the lookers out, and occupy their whole attention; first by running away to give them a chase that will prolong their distance from the real point of attack; and then, by warmly arguing in a wrong cause so as to engross their attention with a triumphant explanation of their own knowledge, and their prisoner's ignorance in the game laws.

Many gentlemen-poachers have, by running away, through pretended fear, drawn a gamekeeper off his boundary, who, being possibly there followed by his dogs, and having only a gamekeeper's licence, becomes so far in doubt as to his own safety against information, that he is too happy to compound for the day's sport being finished in peace, by those before whom he may have committed himself.

Some, with a polite bow and shrug of the shoulders, have pretended to be foreigners, who do not understand a syllable of English, and by this means deterred keepers from asking those questions, which, if once put, the usual penalty of twenty pounds would bind them to answer.

Others, regardless of either word or credit, most faithfully assure the keepers, that they have got leave from their master, inquire after his health, pretend to be on the most intimate terms with him and his acquaintance, and (probably, knowing him to be from home) have even had the effrontery to call at his house, in order to give still more plausibility to their word. A keeper should, therefore, always serve the notices on every one, who is not perfectly well known to him. This may be done with a degree of respect and civility, that could offend no gentleman, and would often be the means of outwitting many, who are regardless of all pretensions to that name.

Some attempt to carry their point by sheer bullying; threatening to box with, or shoot the keepers, and (under a hope that their masters would not offer themselves as a target to every puppy who came to poach on them) talk of "satisfaction-" "pistols-" "fighting in a sawpit-" and hold forth vaunting proposals, in which, if they were once taken at their word, they would, in all probability, like most bullies or soi-disant heroes, who prattle too much about fighting," be the very first to sport the white feather! They are not all men of war who strut about with colossal brass spurs, and ten shillings' worth of hair, like a magpie's nest, pasted round their jowls.

แ

Though last not least, among the successful plans of the day poacher, is that of taking a double gun, and an old steady pointer, when travelling, and cutting out the game from the farther end of the preserved fields, which flank the turnpikes (as a cruiser would a flotilla from under a battery): or, if the fields are so large that he might be coursed and caught, simply to draw them within a short run of his carriage. A keeper, in this case, would do well to gallop quietly round to some likely field in advance, for which our friend would be pretty sure to turn out again; and here the keeper, by hiding himself, might pop on him, with all the necessary articles to put an end to his progress. For stopping one, who carries a gun to shoot birds feeding as he travels along the road, the better way would be to tie down the innkeepers, by a threat of withdrawing your custom, not to allow their postboys or coachmen to stop for such purposes; and, through a fear of getting in a scrape, these men would most likely contrive to pass by or frighten up the game. Now however the power of seizure and the 21. penalty, WITHOUT NOTICE! alters the case: though unfortunately, this summary penalty is calculated to annoy only the open, and perhaps fair, sportsman, instead of the run-away shooter, or secret poacher.

If you owe a greedy shooter a grudge, give his dog, in hot weather, a carte blanche at a large tub of buttermilk, just before he takes the field. He will then have many points;-but few birds.

It would far exceed the limits of this work to insert every ruse de guerre that is successfully practised, for a tolerable shot to come home with a full bag.